Effect of Phytase Supplementation and Copper on Growth Performance and Carcass Composition of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

In order to investigate the effect of phytase and copper supplementaion on growth and carcass composition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), in a completely randomized design with 3 ×2 factorial arrangement with three replicates the experimental diets including three levels of phytase 0, 500 and 1000 (FYT) kg-1 and two levels of copper 0 and 15 mg/kg were tested. Diets contained 0.72 percent total phosphorus. One hundred and forty four carps with a mean weight of 207±23 g were selected and allocated in eighteen cages (8 fish per cage). The experiment was carried out for 8 weeks and 2 weeks for acclimatization. Phytase supplementation caused no significant differences in weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass index (CI), protein efficiency ratio (PER), liver, carcass and blood composition but increased apparent phosphorous digestibility (APD) significantly (P<0.04). Copper supplementation also caused no significant differences in WG, FCR, CI, PER, APD, liver copper, carcass composition, cholesterol (Ch), triglycride (TG), phosphorus of serum but decreased liver fat significantly (P<0.004) and increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) of serum (P<0.02). Interactions between phytase and copper on WG (P<0.01), FCR (P<0.04), PER (P<0.03), liver copper (P<0.02) and TG of serum (P<0.001) were significant. This experiment suggests the presence of antagonistic effect between phytase and supplemental copper. Phytase enzyme improved some parameters of growth and carcass composition of common carp without supplemental copper but addition of copper to the diets with phytase enzyme impaired the improved performance of carp.